Case study
Industry
Manufacturing
Company HQ
Balikesir, Turkey
Number of Employees
1,000+
BEST Transformer Acquires and Retains the Best Talent Through Online L&D
Udemy driving business outcomes
Case study details
BEST Transformer is the biggest and most successful industrial-grade transformer manufacturer in Turkey — and is highly regarded in the region. The company employs more than 1,000 people, ranging from skilled engineers to back office administrators.
With ambitions to expand its operations overseas, BEST realized it needed to acquire and retain the best talent while also standardizing its practices for the international market. What’s more, COVID-19 lockdowns forced the company’s HR team to rethink its L&D strategy. Using Udemy Business, BEST has transformed its management upskilling program, better nurturing its internal talent — including recent graduates from Turkish universities — to boost employee satisfaction and reduce attrition.
Small-scale and infrequent training lacking ambition
BEST transformer has the prestigious accolade of being Turkey’s biggest large- scale transformer manufacturer. As such, it exports more than half of what it makes to international markets, including Europe and the United States.
And with its eyes set on continued, rapid overseas growth, BEST prides itself on offering outstanding employee experiences and career development, helping it garner world-leading talent and ensuring it stays ahead of bigger multinational competitors.
But with a broad and superficial management training program across the company, BEST found it difficult to accelerate its soft skills training — not least to bring managers together in one place for each session. What’s more, BEST wanted to offer all its people a package of training options at no expense to employees, helping it develop careers and foster internal promotions.
The impact of enforced home working triggered by COVID-19 and the company’s aspiration to be an international brand also meant that BEST needed an online Learning and Development (L&D) platform that could offer access to training courses anytime, anywhere.
Human Resources Manager
An L&D strategy fit for international growth
BEST has a widespread remote workforce and plans to grow its operations internationally. So, the flexibility and range of courses available in Udemy Business immediately stood out to BEST — not least because many of its employees were already purchasing Udemy training courses ad hoc.
“We didn’t trial any other platform because Udemy Business is number one in our eyes,” says Zafer. “Many employees were also demanding Udemy Business courses, so we saw the platform as a strategic investment.”
To help effectively manage and overcome the significant manufacturing industry talent gap, BEST now has the capabilities to nurture its management talent internally.
“We need world-class talent to be competitive, which is why it’s important to develop skills that advance the team’s working ability — everything in the business relies on it,” says Zafer. “With Udemy Business, we’re emphasizing the importance of management skills to promote people from our existing technical talent pool. It forms a big part of transforming our culture from a local company to an international manufacturer.”
Tailored learning for a more nuanced approach to L&D
It’s not just those with management responsibilities that stand to benefit. İsmail now also uses Learning Paths tailored to each role within the company, enabling BEST to target the right training to where it’s needed quickly and cost-effectively. “Udemy Business has helped us develop a standardized L&D program to ensure we expand into new international markets consistently,” says Zafer. “The platform has enabled us to develop our business with a team full of self-developing people.”
A wealth of data-driven insight on demand
Udemy Business also gives Zafer and his team access to deep-dive metrics that help them stay on top of learner activity, optimize their strategy, and ensure employees get the most from the platform. “Using Udemy Business metrics, I send out regular performance updates to the team, including each month’s top learners,” says Zafer. “It’s helped create a learning atmosphere in our company and has become part of our daily routine.”
Reduced talent attrition and far greater career development
Thanks to the changes Zafer and his team have made to BEST’s L&D program, the company now benefits from reduced employee attrition and significant cost savings to boot. By reducing attrition by just 2%, the company has already saved TRY4 million (USD 220,000)— creating a positive return on investment soon after implementing Udemy’s platform. “Your people need to believe in your vision and mission — adding Udemy Business to your brand can really enhance it and make your staff feel more motivated,” says Zafer. “Through Udemy, we’ve encouraged our talent to believe in their future.”
Human Resources Manager
Nurturing home-grown talent for international growth
Buoyed by the team’s success using Udemy Business, İsmail is keen to build on his achievements. For example, the company has just given new graduates from Turkish universities access to the Udemy Business platform — giving them the best possible start to their careers and fostering home-grown talent.
“I’ve never seen Udemy Business as a cost-cutting center. It’s an investment,” says Zafer. “While nurturing talent for international growth isn’t easy, you need to be focused on the wider long-term vision. I’m a member of several HR groups where I’ve recommended Udemy Business to everyone.”
Having reflected on his journey with Udemy Business so far, İsmail has advice for anyone looking to overhaul their L&D strategy for growth: “No matter your business, there will always be wider political and economic issues to deal with,” says Zafer. “The truth is, you can’t wait for the situation to change — you need to think about your future skills development. You need the right reskilling and upskilling strategies to prepare your company for global standards and thinking. Udemy Business is the best platform in the world for this.”
Human Resources Manager
Human Resources Manager
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